January 29, 2016

What about socialization? If you have homeschooled for any length of time you know this is always asked.

Having to send my son to public school this year, against my wishes, I realized socialization was easier when we were homeschooling exclusively.

Why? Simple? You know your kids friends, you know the parents - or at least be able to recognize them in a crowd. You most likely have at least have said hi to the other parents, hi to the kids, and feel comfortable with being able to talk to the other parent if there is a need.

The boy has been in school now for 5 months. I have met no one. I know of names, he talks about them, but have met no one.

Tonight he was invited to a party, not by the host or the host parents, but by someone else that was invited. He was told about it today and came home asking can I go?

What was I to do? The party was to be at a local pizza place in just over an hour from when he told me. I do not know the parents, the kid who the party is for, and unsure if he really was welcomed.

Did the parents paying for the food really plan on my kid being there too? I have no one to call. The only contact info the boy has is the friend that invited him.

What about socialization? What about it? At least with homeschooling I knew parents, truly knew who my kids talked to. Not because I want control of that, but because I can say I know and with them being teens can say at least I feel like they are with good kids.... when they do things with their friends I or another parent is not around.

I understand, with my 5 month exposure, how parents can know nothing about their child's friends. I dropped my son at the pizza place. However I did not do a drop and run. I am sitting here, alone, eating my dinner (and blogging) while my son is in the party room. It's been several hours now and seeing my son is in the party room I guess it was cool he's here ... but I still have not met anyone. And I seriously don't think I will.

It blows my mind. If it was my kid's party and a child I never met showed up I would be asking is your mom or dad here? Is it possible to meet them? I would welcome the child, even if I didn't plan on having them there, but I would be looking for the other parent to at least say hi, introduce myself, and let them know how long the party would be.

January 21, 2016

I have noticed that a few people in a number of groups I belong to have been asking for FREE number charts. I made two of them. One with the evens highlighted and one plain so that the child could color it in if you desire. They are nothing fancy, but will serve your needs.

I have also included links to these on the FREEBIE tab above so you will be able to find them again easily if needed. :D (Click on the text for printable version)

January 12, 2016

Over the weekend Web-princess had a retreat to go to as part of the confirmation prep. The retreat was at our church and was just for a few hours.

Throughout the retreat there was opportunities for the candidates, my daughter and the other 13-14 year olds, to express love, admiration, and respect towards their parents or sponsors.
The candidates were told to turn to their parents or sponsors, after the parents/sponsors express two things they loved and two things they liked about the candidate, and express two things they love about their parent/sponsor or two things they respect about them or one of each.

My daughter sat there. She was struggling. She just ended up saying I admire you and I respect you. I was okay with that. I didn't press her. I could see she was thinking hard, but just couldn't come up with anything. Its hard sometimes to come up with things on the spot.

Later, the candidates were instructed to take their parent or sponsor by the hand and introduce them to someone they really did not know and express to those people one thing they admire or respect about their parent or sponsor.
This made my girl uneasy. This is because first she really couldn't come up with anything before and she simply does not like talking to strangers. She's cool if people approach her, but she simply does not want to approach someone else.
Knowing this about my daughter I didn't push her.

We just went to the refreshment table got drinks and I then asked her if she could at least express something she admire or respected about me. Just trying to see, seeing time had pass, if she had something specific to share.
She had her worry face. The face I see often when she's afraid she has done something wrong. The face she has when she has regret. I gently and lovingly looked at her and asked what's wrong. Her reply, near tears, "I don't think I admire you." immediately followed by "I do love you and respect you."
With that I just gave her a huge hug and said, "that's okay."

Sure, my mom pride and heart was crush a bit on the spot, but since the moment has passed I'm extremely thankful that my daughter was honest and was comfortable with being honest with me.
She might not be able to express it or realize it now, but as she ages I'm hopeful she will say, when she's older, I admire that I can be honest with my mom .... even if it might hurt her some.
Even though those words stung some I'm glad to have heard them. It's made me realize that perhaps there are things I need to change. What would you think if your teen told you, with sincerity, not out of anger, they don't admire you? What would you feel you need to do different? What would you feel?

January 1, 2016

I can't believe that 2016 is already here! I can't believe that the blog is 7 years old and I'm in the middle of my 8th year homeschooling.

Scrolling through old posting I'm amazed how far my kids have come, how far I have come as a parent, and can't wait for what the future holds for us.

I'm hopeful, I will be able to bring my son back home and my daughter will never have to go to public (high) school.

My goals for the remaining of this school year for my daughter is to be more consistent in lesson plans. She does school work regularly, but I haven't always have it written out for her -- and well it let to a very embarrassing moment over the holidays. A relative asked her about school and she said it's okay when things are actually planned and mom has lesson plans, but most of the time there are none. -- UGH. I piped in and said you are doing school work -- which she said yes, but not as much as I 'should'. Oh, this girl -- I just wanted to put my head in the sand and hide. It's funny -- how words from a child can do this -- but I know what my child is doing and I know she's doing just fine, etc. So my goal for the remaining of the school year is to be more consistent in the lesson plans have them actually written out more regularly.

Another goals is more personal -- its like the first has been one that has always been on the chopping block and one I have already struggled with, but I think I'm in a better place. Or at least I feel like I'm in a better place so I might see some results -- this goal is on the personal health level. I won't go in details, but I'm hoping that I can get weight and eating habits under control. -- something I have wanted for a long while, but not something I think looking back on it I wasn't really there emotionally, but I think I am there now. Time will tell.

Come on 2016 -- I got this! Do you? What are you goals? What are you plans? Hopes? Dreams?

In addition to my goals and dreams I'm reading for the very first time Rediscover Jesus and rereading A Mother's Rule. I think theses things will be helpful in meeting my goals.

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